FAQs About Syracuse Hunting and Firearm Accidents

Hunting & Firearms Accidents FAQs

You should have a lawyer represent you if you were injured in a hunting accident or were otherwise harmed as a result of the negligence of another hunter. A Rochester hunting accident lawyer at the Law Offices of Scott C. Gottlieb & Associates, LLP, can help you to pursue a claim and get the money you deserve.

Call us now at (585) 546-8120 or 315-314-5390 or fill out our online contact form. All calls and inquiries receive a response the same day, usually within one hour. There is no cost for a case review.

If you were injured in an accidental shooting in someone else’s home, you may be entitled to bring a claim for damages. Whether the accident happens while you are out hunting or when you are at someone’s house, the key question in determining whether you can make a claim is whether negligence led to your injuries.

There is no requirement for anyone to carry firearm insurance and, unlike car insurance, most people do not have a hunting accident or firearm insurance policy. However, many homeowner’s insurance policies and rental insurance policies cover injuries that the insured negligently causes. This means that you could obtain compensation for your injuries through the hunter’s homeowner’s or renter’s policy. Some hunters also obtain insurance voluntarily through hunting organizations or clubs.

If a close relative was killed in a hunting accident that resulted from negligence, you might be entitled to file a wrongful death claim. You could receive compensation for the loss of services from the relationship and for the loss of income that the deceased would have earned if he or she hadn’t been killed.

If you were shot, it is likely that you incurred medical bills and had to miss work or take sick time. You might be entitled to compensation for all of these economic losses. You may also obtain compensation for the pain and suffering caused by the gunshot wound and compensation if your quality of life was permanently diminished as a result of the injuries you sustained.

A member of your own hunting party could still be liable for negligence if he or she made a careless mistake that lead to the accident. In fact, many accidental shooting claims involve people who were hunting together or target shooting together. In most cases, the hunter’s insurance policy will cover your damages, so you should not be concerned about bringing a claim against a friend.

You may be able to bring a claim for injuries if the shooting accident was the result of another hunter’s negligence. Hunters are expected to be reasonably careful when cleaning, carrying and discharging their weapons. For example, the hunter could be considered negligent if the accident happened because the hunter shot without being able to see the target clearly, failed to observe the area before shooting, failed to have the safety on, or failed to remove the clips or magazines before cleaning the gun. You will have the burden of showing that the hunter was unreasonably careless and that negligence was the direct cause of your injury.